Crimson Pasts
by silver thorns
Summary: Just something on Albel's past. Rated t for blood, fire, death and peril. The third one is something for Nel.
1. Acceptance

Acceptance

hi you guys! this is my theory on albel's past. sadly there's no nel but i don't think she knew him then. here it is. what if you had to be ina ceremony _before_ you could be officially allowed to exist? what if all the males had to be in the Ceromony of Acceptance before they could do the whole Accension-y thing? just a what if, mind.

not mine, however i am formulating a plan to...(shifty look to the left, shifty look to the right)...TAKE OVER STAR OCEAN AND DRAKENGARD! MWAH HA HA HA! ahem. yes, well, onwards, defrosted tuna team!

* * *

The huge cavern seemed to tremble with the power of the alpha dragon's voice. "What business have you with I, Crosell, greatest of the air dragons?" 

The eldest human knelt. "To ask for my son to be accepted into the Clan, oh Mighty Lord of the Skies."

He nudged his son, who stepped forward and bowed his head.

"Are you the one to be tested?"

"Yes." His father elbowed him, and through gritted teeth the lad added, "Great One."

The dragon rumbled deep in his throat. The boy had guts. Whether or not that was a good thing, though, was questionable. "What is your name, wyrmling?"

"Albel."

The dragon fell silent, and Albel risked a glance upwards. The dragon's gaze trapped him, and he trembled. Those molten gold eyes seemed to pierce his soul, laying each and every flaw bare for all to see. After an eternity, the dragon closed his eyes, and both humans let out a sigh of relief. Albel forced himself not to collapse, knowing the dragon would see it as weakness. And Albel Nox was _not_ weak.

Crosell reared back his head and let loose an earth-shattering roar. The walls trembled, the floor shook, and Albel fell to his knees, cowering, clutching his ears. The roar was answered, once, twice, again and again until it filled the cavern, so thick Glou could almost see it; a writhing mass of fury, screaming and roaring, trying to escape. He shuddered. Even though he had seen it before, years ago, it still haunted him.

Dark shadows appeared in the cavern, terrible gusts of wind extinguished the flickering torches that lined the cavern, and to the terrified child, it seemed as if the entire world had been plunged into darkness.

There was silence, so sudden it made the humans' ears ring. Gouts of flame appeared around the room, lighting the torches once more. Albel gasped. The entire cavern was filled with dragons. They formed a ring around the two humans, snarling and snapping if he held their gaze too long. Their fierce golden eyes glinted in the dim light. Albel had seen dragons before, of course he had, but those were tame. The ones that surrounded him and his father were wild, free. Beautiful, sleek, their muscles rippling beneath shimmering scales. Like panthers, the beauty hid the darkness beneath, the primal instinct to kill.

"This child, Albel, wishes to be Accepted!" The dragons stirred at the sound of their leader's voice. "Should we welcome him into the Clan? Or shall he be destroyed, for tainting the sacred grounds of our ancestors?"

They all roared as one, then turned to face the cowering child. Shaking, he rose. He was not weak, they would see. He _was_ _not!_

Glou watched, holding his breath. Would they take the movement as courage or disrespect? The dragons snarled, fangs glinting in the dim light, and closed in on the boy. The one closest to Glou picked him up and set him outside the ring. Barred by the huge tail, he could do nothing but watch helplessly.

"The time of judgement has come!" The wind hissed as the mighty wyrms opened their wings, plunging the circle into darkness. Glou could just make out a pair of terrified ruby eyes.

"Albel! Your soul is flawed, your heart is weak!" Crosell growled scornfully. "You aspire to be strong, better than anyone, but be wary; for if you let it consume you, it shall be your downfall!"

The dragons growled in anger, their fury causing the youth to fall to the floor, shaking uncontrollably.

"However," Crosell carried on, quieter now, "as flawed and as weak as your heart may be, it is still pure. Time may erase the faults, but only if you make it so. You may live…"

All but one light went out, and the dragons were gone, leaving only a stunned man and a whimpering child. The tears flowed, unchecked, down his face.

Glou ran over to his son, cradling him to his chest. Picking the boy up, he carried him outside, to the light, the beautiful sun that sparkled down on the rivers that stretched below, so different from the Urssa Caves, with its streams of hissing lava.

There was a sigh of wind, and a single voice whispered in the youth's mind.

…_For now…_

_

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_du du duuuuuuuh! read and review people, read and review! if you do, i'll add albie's acceptance, and one for nellie!

Nel: excuse me? _nellie!_

Me: if you complain, i'll get my fluffy sheep of death to eat you!

Nel: eep!


	2. Fire

Fire

welcome to the second part of Crimson Pasts (ooh, cool name. i likey!)

r&r. just 'cause you love me. especially about the echoes bit. please? pwetty pwease? it's good...

oh, and...(deep breath...)...NOT MINE NOT MINE NOT MINE NOT MINE NOT MINE NOT MINE NOT MIIIIIINNNNNEEE!

* * *

The boy looked out at the world from his perch on the mountain. Yesterday had been his fifteenth birthday, and today was the day when he would attempt the Accession of Flame, and thus become eligible for the command of the Dragon Brigade. 

"Albel," his father's voice called. "It's time."

Standing up, the youngest Nox nodded. He touched the first two fingers of his left hand to his lips, as a way of farewell. There was a very likely possibility that he might never see the view again. He walked into the cave, grimacing slightly at the waves of intense heat. The white chalk arrows on the walls clearly marked the route through the many complex mazes inside the Urssa Lava Caves. Slowly he made his way to the centre, where the dragons, his father, and his destiny awaited.

He did not look back.

The cave walls were lined with dragons, snarling, biting, a writhing mass of muscle and scales. In the centre stood two humans, and a young dragon; Nathrai. At the head of the circle, behind the younger dragon, sat Crosell, and it was his roar that silenced the wyrms.

"Human! You have come here to Link with us, so that we might grace you with our power. The dragon who is willing to bond with you shall be Nathrai-third-born. You may begin."

The dragon Nathrai walked forward, sitting herself on the boulder in front of the humans. Glou stepped back, leaving Albel alone on the raised plateau.

The she-dragon began to speak, her voice softer, higher, than that of the Alpha. "Three questions I shall ask, three answers you shall give. The Clan shall judge after."

Albel nodded, and she began. "What matters the most to you?"

As long as I don't tell a lie, he thought, everything will be fine "Strength." Oops.

"What are you most afraid of?"

"Not being able to reach my full potential."

The dragon shifted, hard golden eyes glaring down at him. "What do you hate the most?"

Albel paused thoughtfully. "Those that think I'm no good, and those who try and give me charity. I also hate people who think they're better than me."

Silence reigned. The dragons began to growl. Nathrai reared up to her full height. "In the years since you Acceptance, you have not changed! You are a fool, a coward, like so many before you! How dare you try and taint my essence with your blackened soul! You may be physically strong, but your mind is weak! You are pathetic!" The cave shook with her fury as her Clan family began to roar. "You shall feel the wrath of my fire! May it cleanse your soul."

Albel bowed his head, ready for the dragon's breath. Deep down, he had known that he wouldn't pass. He waited resignedly for the scorching blast.

"_No!_"

A figure lept in front of him, and he looked up. His father stood defiantly in front of him, shielding his son from the deadly flames. The heat was unbearable, and Albel's vision blurred, eyes stinging. His father began to scream as the flesh was melted off his bones.

"Father!" Panicking, Albel reached out with his left hand, trying to pull Glou away from the flames; it should be _him_ burning, not his father! He cried out in pain, falling back instinctively, eyes closed tightly. His father's screams echoed around the cavern.

There was a roar from the dragons, and suddenly the intense heat was gone. There was a sudden gust of wind, but it was gone as quickly as it had arrived. Albel forced his eyes open, and gasped when he saw his left arm. From the elbow down, there was nothing. It had all been burnt away; flesh, bones…everything. He raised his eyes, and fought back tears. His father…gone.

For a while, he stared numbly at the ashes of his last living relative. The cave was empty; there was no one there. No one to see the pained crimson eyes. No one to hear the soft sobs of despair.

"It should have been me," a hoarse voice whispered softly. As quiet as it was, it still echoed around the cavern mockingly.

"…_Should have been…should have been…_"

"Why did you die…?"

"…_You **DIE**…_"

"No…"

"…_Die…_"

"No!"

"…_Die…_"

He clutched at his head, trying to block the echoes, screaming when only one hand came up. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"…_Die…alone…_"

Leaping up, he pounded his fist against the wall, clawing at it frantically. His fingers bled, and he roared hoarsely as the pain came beating back.

"…_Die…_"

"No! No, no, _NO!"_

He stumbled blindly through the lava maze, running, crawling, trying to escape the mocking echoes and the terrible realization that it was _all his fault_.

Finally he felt a cool breeze against his scorched face, and he collapsed, crying. The salty tears stung his burned cheeks, and he welcomed it. The pain became too much; he fainted.

The cavern echoed still, and not far away from the pile of smouldering ashes, sticking out from beneath a rock, was a sword. The Crimson Scourge gleamed in the light of its former owner's ashes.

"…_Die…_"


	3. Visits

Visits

nel spends some time talking to a mystery person. r&r! GUMMIE WORMS! WOOOOOH! uhh...sorry about that -.-; you'll get used to these little outbreaks...heh...

* * *

Nel Zelpher pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on top of them. She glanced to her side, and sighed. 

"I'm sorry I haven't visited lately. I've just been so busy." She lay back, sprawling out beneath the sun. "It's such a beautiful day," she murmured, closing her eyes.

A bird chirped, and she smiled faintly. "This is my first day off this year. I'm sure Her Majesty can't help it, but…" she rolled over on her side. "Why did there have to be a war? From what I heard, everything used to be fine, so why the war all of a sudden?"

The bird chirped again.

"I miss you. It might be selfish, but I do. I can't do this without you. They expect me to replace you, to follow in your footsteps, but they're so big, and I'm so small. Strangely enough, Albel's the only one that understands." She rolled onto her back once more. "You remember Glou, right? Nox? Well, Albel's his son. Evil devil. Good looking, though. And very perceptive. Not just a thug, after all." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry I haven't done what you expected. I haven't become Captain. It's so hard, taking over the role of Captain of the Crimson Blades. I got scared, so Clair took over once you..." she trailed of, unable to finish the sentence. "Why did you have to go so soon?" she whispered, feeling like a little girl again.

Albel looked through the gates. There, lying on the grass, was quite possibly the only person he considered a friend, apart from 'Old Man Woltar'. Beside her was a gravestone. The words read;

HERE LIES MY FATHER'S MEMORIES

WISHES AND DREAMS

REST PEACEFULLY,

NEVELLE ZELPHER

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awww...how nice! anywho, please review! oh, and if you want me to write more, then email me ideas! my e-mail address is in my bio thingy. RRREEEVVVIIIEEEWWW! by pressin' da button down there! 


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